I bike therefore, I am!

To The Blossoms!

Every year on my weight loss blog I write about my walk to the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC and my walk around the tidal basin.

The Cherry Blossoms are pretty much gone already, but last week I did my annual pilgrimage to the Tidal Basin. This year, however, I biked!

The ride is 6.99 miles from my apartment on the Mount Vernon Trail each way. Currently, part of the Mt. Vernon trail is closed for construction, so there is a small detour on the Four Mile Run trail, Which take it just over the 7 mile mark each way.

The ride is a lot easier this year than it was last year. In fact, last year, I never made it as far as the Tidal Basin. I only made it as far as Gravelly Point which is about 1.5 miles from the Tidal Basin. I think buying a lighter bike helped, but I also feel that I am getting stronger the more I ride. Total ride to the Tidal Basin and back – 14 miles.

Because of the mid-March snow storm, the blossoms were not as spectacular as the have been in recent years, but I still enjoyed seeing them. There was definitely some damage as they started to bud in the days before the snow storm.

Cherry Blossoms are the great harbinger of spring for the DC area. One really feel as if you are awakening from the long, dark winter once the cherry blossoms arrive.

I did get a couple of pictures. I did not walk the entirety of the Tidal Basin as I have in years past, but I was so excited I was able to just bike all the way there!

Yesterday, I went back to the Tidal Basin and then rode on to the Washington Monument. I eventually made my way up to the Whole Foods near GW University and had some lunch. That was about a 9 mile ride, although admittedly, I did have to walk a good half mile or so. That was about a 18 mile ride total.

My goal is by the end of summer/early fall, to be able to ride down to Mt. Vernon, George Washington’s home. And back, of course. Mt. Vernon is about a 14 mile ride from my apartment, so 28 miles round trip. I am going to prepare myself for a 30 mile ride. I feel confident I should be able to do that if I keep biking all summer. I’ll keep you posted.